- 52 per cent buyers believe that electric cars are viable alternatives to petrol and diesel cars

- Buyers will consider an electric car over a conventional vehicle with CNG option

Global warming is a real problem in the modern world and leading car manufacturers from around the globe have been actively working on the electric technology. Back in 2019, we had conducted an online survey to study the electric mobility outlook in India. Among total respondents, 80 per cent of respondents comprised of prospective buyers.

Over the last few years, India has witnessed a significant hike in petrol and diesel prices. This has encouraged potential buyers to seek efficient and affordable fuel alternatives. Currently, CNG is a sought after alternative for a certain section of buyers who prioritise low cost of running. However, this trend is likely to fade in the coming times as our survey report revealed that 52 per cent buyers believe electric cars to be viable alternatives to petrol and diesel cars.

Furthermore, the survey revealed that buyers who plan to buy a car in next one-year will consider an electric vehicle over the CNG variants. Among these, 56 per cent of the respondents will opt for an electric vehicle, provided it was offered for a same price as the petrol/diesel models, and 73 per cent of the buyers are willing to opt for an electric vehicle due to environmental concerns. The remaining 44 per cent of the buyers will not opt for an electric vehicle due to lack of electric infrastructure in the country.

Cars with an electric motor offer better performance as compared to vehicles powered by conventional engines, as well as vehicles with CNG option. Electric cars offer abundant torque right from the go and are also easy to maintain due to lesser moving parts. Moreover, electric cars offer better driving range also more luggage space, which is particularly lost in CNG vehicles featuring a cylinder in the boot.

Considering the time and effort invested by vehicle manufacturers towards electric vehicle development, it will be just a matter of time before conventional fuel and CNG option will be replaced with electrified cars.

The findings are based on a 10-day survey conducted from 1 November, 2019 to 10 November, 2019. Among 1,70,588 respondents, 80 per cent of the population comprised of prospective buyers. About 85 per cent of the buyers were in the age group of 18 to 45 years.